Harry Potter Reading Competition

Ko Oten Kaambal Secundaria (junior high school) hosted a reading comprehension contest this morning for students from 23 public and private schools in Playa del Carmen. This is one of the schools in the Nicte Ha neighborhood of Playa del Carmen, Mexico in which Leyendo and Library in a Week created libraries last month. Each student was given a chapter from a Harry Potter book to read and answer multiple choice questions. The scores were tallied and three prize winners from each of the three grades were awarded books, certificates and necklaces.

It all began at 9:00 am with flag ceremony, speeches and acknowledgement of administrators, teachers and me. The school had been transformed into Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Academy. Then students were shown to rooms where the testing would take place.

The front gate of the school decorated like a castle with Hogwarts Express train running by.

Greeted inside the gate by Harry and his crew.

Students from 23 schools waiting for the competition to begin.

I was told to return at 1:00 pm for the awards but it was 2:30 before they got started. Meanwhile many students waited in the air conditioned library and read books Leyendo had provided. I saw one girl pick up a new Harry Potter book and smell it. A woman to my own heart!

Girls marvel at the books.

Then settle down to read.

But finally the winners were announced and prizes were given. Leyendo had provided Harry Potter books for the first prize winners and other books for 2nd and 3rd place. The school gave each winner a clock/pendant necklace with wings. It was a very good time.

The gold pendant for first prize winners.

And a sash.

And books of course.

Then came the request for comprehension test papers to see where they had gone wrong and right.